Looking for the Best Small Business Video Conferencing Tool? Here is What You Need to Know

The massive rise of video conferencing has taken the world by storm. The right video conferencing tool is crucial to your business. It helps you effectively communicate with clients, vendors, and employees. 

Most small businesses work with a limited budget and IT resources. Today several companies prefer to work remotely. So, you must have a preferred video conferencing tool.

As a business owner, you need to do some research. Explore the market for various video conferencing software tools. You could also try out the free demos. Or, you could make a compilation of the best small business video conferencing tools in the market.

Video conferencing software has positioned itself as a powerful tool. It empowers companies to connect with their teams and companies worldwide. They vary significantly in terms of features, pricing, and functionality. 

Below we will guide you to choose the best video conferencing option for your small business. So, before you make a final selection, here is all you need to know. 

What is a Video Conferencing Tool?

Video conferencing is online communication technology. It allows users to hold face-to-face meetings in different locations in real-time. They can do so from a single, unified platform. 

This technology is convenient for business users located in different cities or countries. They can hold routine meetings, negotiate business deals, and interview job candidates. It saves time and expenses that come with business travel.

Video conferencing software allows users to communicate online via video and audio. It involves transmitting information via text, audio, and video. With this software, users can conduct remote meetings and live conferences. 

This type of software also includes additional features. They have electronic whiteboards, file sharing, and file transfer features.

Here are some facts according to research.

• 78% of employees rely on video conferencing for team meetings and daily stand-ups.
• 87% of employees who are not physically present for a meeting can better engage with colleagues through video.

Video conferencing software allows users to make video calls or group video conferences. With evolving technology, this software has acquired many valuable tools today. 

It also includes features for remote communication and learning. It can be integrated into video collaboration and unified communication platforms. Other features include screen sharing, instant messaging, project management tools, recordings, etc.

How is a Video Conferencing Tool for Small Business different from other tools?

Video conferencing tools help organizations connect easily with their clients and employees globally. With video conferencing platforms, your users can communicate and collaborate effectively.

Video conferencing software has become a must today in the business world. Business owners can use video conferences with many participants at a time. They can access it on computers and mobile devices.

Innovations in technology have now introduced virtual cloud-based meeting places. It allows users to sit and communicate in a virtual conference room. It allows companies to use video conferencing tools without many hardware systems.

Their extensive usage has increased productivity. It has also contributed to lower communication costs. 

Many companies today are adopting video conferencing software. This is because of the many benefits offered by this tool. You can use it alike for both local and international vendors and customers. 

You can judge the increasing popularity of video conferencing tools from this fact. 

It is estimated that by 2024, the video conferencing software global market will expand by a CAGR of 14%. It will also reach a market size of $20 billion. 

The use of cloud technology has fueled this growth. It has allowed companies to use the software in a cost-effective manner. Innovations in video conferencing tools have also encouraged this growth.

Benefits of Small Business Video Conferencing Tool 

Video conferencing software tools have a lot to offer to small businesses. It can range from improved productivity to cost reduction. You need to explore various tools to look for the best small business video conferencing software. 

Here are the various benefits of video conferencing software for your business:

Reduce travel costs

The most visible benefit of video conferencing software is communication. You can meet and talk to people from different locations from the comfort of your desk. So, you can easily communicate with your business partners, co-workers, and customers. 

You don't need to travel to meet them physically. This reduces the travel costs associated with your business. Video conferencing will always have the upper hand over live meetings. This is because business travel expenses are much more daily than those for employing the tool.

Easy Telecommuting

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Recent times have led to advancements in telecommuting and remote work. Employees today prefer to work outside the traditional workplace. 

Video conferencing tools are also handy for workers choosing to work from home. For this, they are using various telecommunications tools. These include phone, email, chat, and video apps. It promotes better interaction among remote workers and helps deliver reports.

Increased productivity

Businesses may face challenges in communication when using conventional methods. They may lack live communication when using phone calls, email, or instant messages. 

They find their workers stay more focused when they use video conferencing tools. It is also easier to keep participants on the same page with better communication. This results in faster completion of projects due to increased productivity.

Better communication 

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Video conferencing can improve collaboration among users. They can see each other's body language and facial expressions. These are small cues that you miss during phone calls. Improved communication facilitates better meetings with clients. It helps in enhancing production to a large extent.

Gain a Competitive Edge 

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Video conferencing tools, when used effectively, help bring fresh ideas to the table. These tools help in the quick sharing of knowledge and information. You can keep your team members more informed and vigilant. 

You can also use these tools for customer support. They can help your representatives build healthy customer relationships. Face-to-face conversations in the virtual world provide an enhanced customer experience. Happy customers bring repeat business. This helps your brand gain a competitive edge in the market.

What to look for in the Best Small Business Video Conferencing Tool 

The best small business video conferencing software has several features. These features offer a rich video conference experience to its users. Software vendors are regularly coming up with solutions that have new and better features. 

Here are some basic features that you can look for in a video conferencing tool:

Chat Software

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Chat software is a common element found in most video conferencing tools. Sometimes, there are bandwidth limitations in your internet connection. It may cause hindrance in your video and audio calls.

In such cases, chat software serves as an alternative channel for communication. It provides a secure communication environment for the participants. In some tools, chats are deleted when meetings end (Zoom, Google-Meet) In others (Consolto.com) you can also access chat logs after meetings.

File transfer

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When you are using a tool in a business setting, sharing of information becomes a necessity. So, it should have file transfer functionality. It will enable its users to send files to any participant or user. 

Most video conferencing solutions enable file-transfer functionality but not all do. A great feature would enable you to send files to other meeting participants with a file transfer facility. This can happen during the meeting or the webinar via chat. It can be specifically sent to a single or all participants or groups. 

Application sharing

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Just sharing files on the video chat platform is not sufficient. It should also have an application sharing feature to promote collaboration. This allows many participants to interact using a program running on a single device. 

This will allow other participants to view files even if they do not have the software to open such files on their devices. 

Electronic Whiteboards

Interactive whiteboards can be a valuable feature of video conferencing tools. They offer a platform for users to communicate visually. This is especially helpful for your presentations and projects. 

For instance, you can apply fingers directly on the screen. You can point out details on diagrams and graphs. It emphasizes text areas that need specific attention.

With this feature, conference participants can type or draw on the board. They can even upload a document or an image. You can highlight or draw circles on specific areas of images. 

Mobile support

Video conferencing tools are commonly used on computers and laptops. With more and more people choosing to work remotely, the use of mobile devices is growing. Due to this, the number of users attending a video conference through their phones is also rising. 

So, try to get a hold of a suitable video conferencing tool. It should also provide mobile versions of its video conferencing product. 

Cloud deployment 

The application of cloud technology is widespread. Video conferencing solutions are no exception. Cloud deployment capabilities assure smooth integrations and high scalability. This makes video conferencing tools better than before. 

With cloud video conferencing, you can make HD video calls. It can be from your favorite devices from anywhere. 

Users can have face-to-face communication with a more natural human element. As an administrator, deploying and managing a cloud solution will be easier. It is also easier and more secure than before.

More cost-effective 

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Any video conferencing tool for a small business should be cost-effective. Only then will it be easy to put in place. Costly hardware in video conferencing is a strict no. Your choice of software should promise high performance. It should have plug-and-play capabilities and not need monitoring by IT teams. 

You can check the above features to choose the best small business video conferencing tool. Find the right software to connect people and make your workplace great. Your preferred conferencing solution should meet the demands of your business and customers.

Things to consider before buying a Video Conferencing Tool

Features

Features are what differentiate a product from another. Most video conferencing tools may have common basic features. Take out the time to invest in some research. 

Check out what features and functionalities a tool has to offer. Find out how those features can be helpful for your company. Also, find out if any extra hardware equipment will be needed. 

Integrations

Every organization has a preferred platform on which they run their applications. Before choosing a video conferencing tool, find out if that tool can run smoothly on your existing platform. 

Study the tool's technical requirements. These include phone equipment, required platforms, and directory services. Only then can you integrate it with your devices seamlessly.

Return on Investment

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A tool's features can have a meaningful impact on your business costs. Ensure that the tool meets your business needs in a cost-effective manner. Invest in a tool only when it has features according to your organization's needs. 

Remember that the tool may come with additional hardware needs. This may have you invest more than what you set aside in your budget.

Easy to use

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Choose a video conferencing tool that is both easy to use and intuitive. Find out if it can be integrated easily with your business applications. Make sure if you will need vendor training for using the platform.

Also, your employees should not find it challenging to use the product. It should be easy to access from anywhere and anytime.

Service Provider

The needs of every business are different. You need to find the right vendor or service provider.

Identify your business needs. Determine what kind of video conferencing solution it may need. Do you need a high-definition call, or is conventional viewing enough? Also, find the number of users and the app's end goal.

Sign up for free trial versions of the software by vendors. Find if the software meets your business needs.

Consolto as the Best Small Business Video Conferencing Tool

Consolto specializes in video conferencing with customers and offers a personalized, immersive video chat solution for small business owners. It's best being used to create meaningful interactions with your customers.

Create a simple live video chat session with Consolto with no hassles. You can engage in conversations with your customers directly from your website. 

Have quality meetings in a click. Your customers don't need to have credentials to log in to the platform. You also don't need to download anything from anywhere.

Consolto offers a simple-to-use video chat. You can deliver high-quality consultations to your customers worldwide. Use this solution to provide your services remotely and expand your customer base.

Consolto also offers mobile support for your customers. You can start video chats with your customers or clients on their mobile phones. 

Another unique feature that Consolto offers is the 3D-Sense. 3D-Sense gives your customers a live, in-depth demonstration of your product. With this, you can show off your products to your clients in video conferences and live chats. 

Showcase all the aspects of your product to your customers just like you would in real life with Consolto.

Final Thoughts

Video conferencing applications have come a long way since their creation. Today, the use of new features and technologies has pushed the bar higher to meet customer expectations. As more robust solutions are developed, the future of video conferencing stands bright. 

Take a step ahead on your business roadmap with Consolto’s unique video conferencing solution. Contact us today to learn more.